This is the first application filed for the present invention.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to the field of call control in a telecommunications network. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for effecting call service features in response to call control information extracted from a bearer channel of a telecommunications network.
The growing use of telecommunications services has prompted demand for ways to more efficiently control bearer connections through telecommunications networks. Control functions have been implemented in telecommunications networks to improve the efficiency of telecommunications service delivery and the quality of services. Although facilities are available for managing call progress, existing facilities generally manage calls from edge equipment in a telecommunications network. Such facilities are known to consume network resources and reduce the overall speed and efficiency of call progress through the network.
For example, interactive voice response (IVR) units, private branch exchanges (PBXs) and automatic call distributors (ACDs) are widely used as edge equipment for call feature implementation. Such equipment may use voice prompts to collect call control information for processing or routing calls within the telecommunications network. A calling party using an IVR, PBX or ACD selects a desired feature from a menu of feature options presented, in order to further the progress of the call. However, such devices are not adapted to perform complex functions, such as conference calling, peer consulting or call transfer without duplication of bearer channel paths through the network. Accordingly, although existing IVR, PBX and ACD facilities provide communication systems with edge management capability, they fail to provide call control capability without unduly consuming capacity in a telecommunications network.
Systems and methods for monitoring call connections are also known. Specifically, known call monitoring enables a third party to monitor a call for the purpose of ensuring quality control, or the like. Typically, such monitoring systems require the functionality of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) in conjunction with service switching points (SSPs) of a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The SSPs are generate triggers in response to calls made to a designated subscriber line, for example. When an SSP generates a call monitor trigger in response to a call, the call connection is completed and a bridge to the monitoring equipment is established.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,132 to O""Brien et al. teaches a method and apparatus for monitoring selected telecommunications sessions in an intelligent switched telephone network. The call monitoring is accomplished using trunk monitoring equipment provided on a serving switch within an intelligent network. The method and apparatus for monitoring a call in accordance with this patent provide the ability to unobtrusively listen to or record communications routed through monitored trunks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,946, which issued to O""Brien on Aug. 29, 2000, is entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ANSWER SUPERVISION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK and is directed to monitoring trunks to determine if a call has been answered, but an Answer message has not been generated by terminating equipment. Trunk monitoring equipment is activated by an Answer Supervisor Analyzer in response to a call for which a call Answer message is wanting, billing records may not have been generated, and a conversation may be in progress. The trunk monitoring equipment is adapted to test the trunk for bearer traffic to determine if a call is in progress.
However, the prior art fails to teach apparatus for extracting call control information from a bearer channel in a telecommunications network. In addition, existing systems fail to provide telephone service subscribers with the ability to control a call in progress with another party using service control information input directly through the bearer channel.
There therefore remains a need for a method and apparatus that are adapted to extract call control information from a bearer channel in the network, and process that information to dynamically effect call service features from a center of the network, without the use of edge equipment.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system and method for providing call service features to a telephone service subscriber that is a party to a call, using information extracted from the subscriber""s bearer channel.
It is another object of the invention to provide a call control application server adapted to effect control over a bearer channel in a telecommunications network from a center of the network without the use of edge equipment.
The invention therefore provides a system for effecting service features in a telecommunications network, comprising a bearer channel monitor adapted to capture service control information sent through a bearer channel in the telecommunications network by a party to a telecommunications session set up using the bearer channel; and a call control application server for receiving the service control information and effecting service features in response the service control information.
A call control node receives instructions from the call control application server, and sets up or tears down connections through the telecommunications network in response to the instructions. The call control node is a virtual switching point in the telecommunications network, and a physical node in a signaling plane of the telecommunications network. The telecommunications network may be a switched telephone network, in which case the virtual switching point is a virtual service switching point in the switched telephone network. The virtual switching point is provisioned with a plurality of virtual trunk groups corresponding to a plurality of real trunk groups in the switched telephone network, and serves as a virtual switching point between terminating ends of each plurality of the physical trunk groups. Alternatively, the virtual switching point may be provisioned with a plurality of point codes, each of the respective point codes being associated with a one of the respective physical trunk groups. A plurality of service switching points are connected to opposite ends of the respective trunk groups, and at least certain ones of the service switching points are provisioned to route calls to the trunk groups when the calls are associated with a predetermined routing code. The service switching points are further provisioned with routesets and linksets that direct common channel signaling messages associated with the calls to a point code of the call control node.
An intelligent peripheral may be used by the call control application server to effect certain ones of the service features. If so, the intelligent peripheral may be adapted to perform the functions of an interactive voice response unit (IVR). The intelligent peripheral may also be adapted to perform the functions of a conference bridge.
The system in accordance with the invention preferably also includes a service control point (SCP) for providing dialed number translations to the call control application server. The SCP may be an intelligent service control point (ISCP), and the call control application server may query the ISCP using messages sent through a data network other than the common channel signaling (CCS) network. The bearer channel monitor and the call control application server are also preferably connected to the data network to permit an exchange of control commands and service control information between the bearer channel monitor and the call control application server.
The invention further provides a method of enabling the provision of dynamic service features in a switched telecommunications network. The method comprises steps of: monitoring a bearer channel of a selected communications session set up through the switched telecommunications network, to capture service control information input by a party to the telecommunications session; analyzing the captured service control information to determine a service feature requested by the party to the telecommunications session; and controlling switching equipment in the switched telecommunications network to effect the service feature.
The step of monitoring the bearer channel may comprise capturing selected content on the bearer channel and transferring the selected content to the call control application server. The step of analyzing the captured content comprises a step of analyzing the content at the call control application server to determine whether service control information has been captured. The analyzing may be performed by parsing the content to detect discrete tone signals generated by the party using a telephone keypad. The analyzing may likewise be performed by parsing the content using a speech recognition algorithm to detect commands spoken by the party.
The step of controlling switching equipment in the switched telephone network comprises steps of: sending instructions from the call control application server to a call control node that is a physical node in a signaling plane of the switched telecommunications network, and a virtual node in a switching plane of the switched telecommunications network; and executing the instructions at the call control node to effect the service feature.
The switched telecommunications network may be a switched telephone network. In that case, the step of executing the instructions comprises steps of: sending a Release message forward through the switched telephone network from a first instance of the call control node, and discarding the Release message at a second instance of the call control node, to release a portion of a connection between a first and second party to the telecommunications session without releasing either of the first and second parties; and sending initial address messages (IAMs) from the respective first and second instances of the call control node to initiate a connection of the first and second parties to a new call termination. Subsequent common channel signaling messages related to the telecommunications session returned to the respective first and second instances of the call control node are discarded in order to avoid confusion in downstream switches.
The invention enables the provision of a plurality of service features, including: transferring one of the parties to a new termination and releasing the other party; transferring one of the parties to a predetermined termination and connecting the other party with a new termination to permit the other party to consult with a person at the new termination; and, dynamically conferencing two or more parties together. Messages are preferably sent from the call control node to the call control application server to inform the call control application server of the status of the communications session each time a service feature is effected or a communications session is terminated.
Billing records are maintained at the call control node to track usage charges for each service feature invoked during a communications session. A separate billing record is preferably produced at the call control application server for each service feature invoked during a communications session.
The switched telecommunications network is provisioned to route selected calls to bearer channels that are monitored to capture service control information. If the switched telecommunications network is a switched telephone network, the step of provisioning comprises steps of: provisioning a service control point (SCP) in the network to return a routing code in response to a common channel signaling query containing a directory number of a termination for the selected calls; and, provisioning at least one service switching point (SSP) in the network to route the selected calls to selected trunks in the switched telephone network when an initial address message (IAM) containing the routing code is received. The provisioning further comprises a step of provisioning at least one trunk in the switched telephone network so that the call control node is a virtual switching point logically positioned between terminating ends of the at least one trunk. The step of provisioning the at least one trunk comprises a step of provisioning, at SSPs connected to opposite ends of the at least one trunk, routesets and linksets associated with the at least one trunk to route Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) common channel signaling messages associated with the selected calls to a specific instance of the call control node. The call control node is also provisioned with a plurality of virtual trunk groups, each virtual trunk group being associated with a specific instance of the call control node.